Apron mounting for an earthmover



June 13, 1967 H. W. ROCKWELL ETAL 3,324,581

' APRON MOUNTING FOR AN EARTHMOVER Filed June 11, 1954 3,324,581 ArnoNMOUNTING FOR AN EARrHMovEn This invention relates to an earthmover andparticularly to the mounting arrangement of the apron on the scraperbowl side walls.

It is an important object of this invention to provide an earthmoverwhich has maximum cutting edge width and maximum capacity for a givenoverall earthmover width.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an apron mountingwherein the apron arms are in alignment with apron actuating jacksmounted on the scraper bowl side walls.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an apron mounting onthe scraper bowl side wall structures wherein the arms extend throughhorizontally aligned openings in the side wall structures.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an earthmover as setforth in the previous object and having recesses in the side wallstructures to accommodate the apron operating jacks without increasingthe overall width of the earthmover.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a mountingarrangement for the apron of an earthmover wherein the apron arms extendrearwardly along the inner side of the scraper bowl side walls andthrough openings in the side walls aligned with the arms and whereinpivot means are provided for the apron arms at the openings and forconnection to the legs of a draft frame.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an earthmover havingmaximum cutting edge and apron width in relation to the overall width ofthe earthmover, an apron mounting wherein its arms extend through theside walls of the scraper bowl and connect to hydraulic jacks alignedwith the apron arms and means pivotally connecting the apron and draftframe to the side walls on a common pivot axis.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an apron mountingfor an earthmover wherein the apron arms extend through openings in thescraper bowl side walls and wiping means are provided to eliminatenutcracker action on particles such as stones that might otherwise wedgebetween the apron arms and side walls.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will beapparent to those familiar with the art when the following descriptionis read in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of an earthmover in which this invention isincorporated;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the earthmover shown in FIG. 1; and

FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6 are section views taken on the lines III-III, IV-IV,V-V and VIVI in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 the earthmover in which this invention isincorporated includes a wheeler scraper bowl 11 having a pair of sidewall structures 12, 13 rigidly interconnected by a bottom wall 14, atransverse beam 16 between the front ends of the wall structures 12, 13and rear bracing 17. A draft frame 21 is connected at its front end towheeled support means, not shown, includes a yoke-like part made up of atransverse box section member 22 and legs 23, 24 extending rearwardlytherefrom closely adjacent to the outer sides of vertical outer walls26, 27, respectively, of the side wall structures 12, 13. The legs 23,24 are pivotally connected at 3 ,324,581 Patented June 13, 1967 theirrear ends to the side wall structures 12, 13, respectively, ontransverse pivot axis 28.

A transversely extending blade 31 is rigidly secured to as by bolts, notshown, to the bottom wall 14 and hence to the side wall structures 12,13. The blade 31 extends from outer wall 26 to outer wall 27.Longitudinally extending frame members in the form of channels 32, 33are secured as by welding to the laterally outer side of outer walls 26,27, respectively, and as seen in the drawings the outer side walls 26,27 and channels 32, 33 extend the full length of wall structures 12, 13.The channel members are spaced vertically below the legs 23, 24 so asnot to increase the overall width of the earthmover. The channels 32, 33are spaced intermediate the pivot axis and the blade 31 so as to avoidinterference with the legs 23, 24 during raising and lowering of thebowl by actuation of hydraulic jack 34 interconnected between the frame21 and the front of the bowl 11.

Referring also to FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6 an apron 36 is approximately aswide as the lateral spacing between outer walls 26, 27 and has arms 37,38 in the form of flat plates extending from the laterally opposite endsof the apron rearwardly in closing adjacent relation to the inner sideof the outer walls 26, 27. The arms 37, 38 extend between outer walls26, 27 and inner walls 39, 41 and are pivotally connected to the innerand outer walls by pivot means 83, 84, such as those shown in copendingpatent application Ser. No. 366,991 of Dale W. Hawk filed May 13, 1964,now Patent No. 3,295,234. Such pivot means may include a pivot pinmember such as pin 43 to which leg 23 is pivotally connected.

The inner wall 39 is rigidly interconnected to the outer wall 26, bytransverse plates 58, 81, 82 welded thereto, to form a pocket or recess45 in the upper rear of side wall structure 12 A similar recessedportion is formed in side wall structure 13 by inner wall 41 andappropriate transverse brace plates, not shown. The rear end portions46, 86 of the apron arms 37, 33 are pivotally connected to the rodportion of hydraulic jacks 42, 72. As illustrated in FIG. 1 portion 46is pivotally connected to the rod of actuator 42 by a transverse pin 47and the cylinder of the actuator 42 is pivotally connected to the sidewall structure 12 by pin 48. As illustrated in FIG. 2 the hydraulicjacks 42, 72 are in longitudinal alignment with apron arms 37, 38,respectively, thereby providing a straight line action of force throughthe jacks and arms. Placing the rams 42, 75 in the recesses 45, 75avoids increasing the overall width of the earthmover yet permits a fullwidth cutting edge and full width apron. It should be understood thatthe ejector 51 is shaped at its laterally opposite side edges to conformwith the vertical contour of the recessed portions of the side wallstructures. The inner walls 39, 41 terminate at their forward endsadjacent the openings at the forward extremities of the recesses 45, 75.

The apron arm 37 has arcuate surfaces 52, 53 which are coaxial to theaxis 28 and are at diametrically opposite sides thereof, that is theylie on opposite sides of a plane through axis 28. The radially outerfacing arcuate surfaces 52, 53, cooperate with wiping edges 54, 56formed on transverse plates 5'7, 58 rigidly interconnected with thewalls 26, 39. The edges 54, 56 are closely adjacent the arcuate surfaces52, 53, respectively, throughout the movement of the apron between theclosed position illustrated in FIG. 1 to an open position wherein thehydraulic jack 42 is substantially fully contracted. The inner surface59 of outer wall 26 and the laterally inner edge 60 of the plate 57 areclosely adjacent the vertical surfaces 61, 62 of the apron arm 37. Thusas the apron is pivoted between its open and closed positions the edges54, 56 and side surfaces 59, 60 perform a wip- 3 ing action on the apronarm 37 to prevent excavated material from readily flowing into therecess 45 and preventing particles from wedging between the apron armand the side wall structure. Thus nutcracker action on wedging rock orstone between the apron and side wall structure during operation of theapron is avoided. The surfaces 54, 56, 59 and 60 define a narrowvertically extending slot or opening in close fitting relation with theapron arm 37 and oriented longitudinally to receive the latter.

Although only the side wall structure 12 and the installation of apronarm 37 is fully described it should be understood that a similarconstruction is provided in side wall structure 13 for installation ofapron arm 38 thereon. The inner walls 39, 41 terminate at their forwardends adjacent the openings at the forward extremities of the recesses45, 75.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that our invention permitsa maximum width cutting edge with a maximum bowl capacity for aspecified Width. The recesses 45, 75, permit the actuators 42, 72 to bedisposed within such specified width and permit mounting the actuatorsin line relation to the apron arms 37, 38, thus eliminating the problemsinherent in the dog leg or bellcrank type mounting of the apron armsheretofore used.

The embodiments of the invention for which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An earthmover comprising:

a wheeled scraper bowl having a pair of side wall structu-res eachincluding a vertical outer wall extending forwardly to the approx imateforward extremity of its related side wall structure and an inner wallconnected to said outer wall to form an outwardly facing recess thereinand a longitudinally oriented opening at the forward end of said recess,said inner wall having its forward terminus approximately at the forwardend of said recess,

an apron at the front of said bowl having a pair of laterally spacedarms extending rearwardly adjacent the inner side of said vertical outerwalls, respectively, and through said openings, respectively,

a pair of pivot means at said openings pivotally connecting said arms tosaid side wall structures, respectively, for swinging movement about atransverse pivot axis between open and closed positions,

each of said pivot means including a pivot member supported by saidinner and outer walls of the associated side wall structure, and

a pair of hydraulic actuators disposed within said recesses,respectively, and having corresponding ends pivotally connected,respectively, to said side wall structures and said apron arms at pointson the latter spaced from said transverse pivot axis.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein said hydraulic actuatorsare extensible and contractible hydraulic jacks and said apron arms arein longitudinal alignment with said jacks, respectively.

3. The structure set forth in claim 1 and further comprising a draftframe having a pair of legs extending rearwardly on the laterally outerside of said side wall structures, respectively, and pivotally connectedthereto by said pivot means on said transverse pivot axis.

4. The structure set forth in claim 1 and further comprising upper andlower wiping edges at said openings between said inner and outer wallsfacing radially toward said transverse pivot axis and arcuate wipingfaces on said apron arms in coaxial relation with said transverse pivotaxis and in closely adjacent relation to said wiping edges,respectively, throughout the pivotal movement of said apron between saidopen and closed positions. 7

5. The structure set forth in claim 4 wherein said hydraulic actuatorsare extensible and contractible hydraulic jacks and said apron arms arein longitudinal alignment with said jacks, respectively.

6. The structure set forth in claim 5 and further comprising a draftframe having a pair of legs extending rearwardly on the laterally outersides, respectively, of said side wall structures and pivotallyconnected thereto by said pivot means on said transverse pivot axis.

7. An earthmover comprising:

a scraper bowl having a pair of laterally spaced side wall structureseach including a vertical outer wall extending forwardly to theapproximate forward extremity of its related side wall structure,

an inner wall spaced inwardly from and rigidly secured to said outerwall to define a recess, said inner wall terminating approximately atthe forward end of said recess, and

Wall means at the forward end of said recess defining a narrowvertically extending slot between said inner and outer walls,

an apron having arms extending rearwardly along the inner side of saidouter walls, respectively, and having portions through said slots,respectively,

pivot means pivotally connecting said arms to said inner and outerwalls, respectively, adjacent said forward end of said recesses forswinging movement about a transverse pivot axis between open and closedpositions,

power means for operating said apron disposed within said recesses,respectively, and connected to the associated apron arm portions.

8. The structure set forth in claim 7 and further comprising a bladesecured to the front bottom of said bowl and extending between saidouter walls and wherein said power means are positioned inwardly of saidouter walls.

9. The structure set forth in claim 8 wherein said power means areextensible and contractible hydraulic jacks pivotally connected at theirforward ends to said apron arm portions, respectively, and at their rearends to said side wall structures, respectively, and wherein said apronarms are in longitudinal alignment with said jacks, respectively.

10. The structure set forth in claim 9 including radially outward facingarcuate surfaces formed on said apron arms, respectively, on oppositesides of a plane through said transverse pivot axis and upper and lowerwiping edges at the top and bottom of said slots in closely adjacentrelation to said arcuate surfaces throughout the movement of said apronbetween its open and closed positions.

11. The structure set forth in claim 7 including radially outward facingarcuate surfaces formed on said apron arms, respectively, on oppositesides of a plane through said transverse pivot axis and upper and lowerwiping edges at the top and bottom of said slots in closely adjacentrelation to said arcuate surfaces throughout the movement of said apronbetween its open and closed positions.

12. The structure set forth in claim 11 and further comprising verticalside faces on laterally opposite sides of said apron arms and laterallyfacing vertical surfaces on said side structures defining the laterallyopposite sides of said slots and disposed in closely adjacent relationto said faces, respectively.

13. The structure set forth in claim 7 wherein said side wall structureseach include a longitudinally extending frame member rigidly secured tothe laterally outer side of its outer wall below its recess, said framemembers being substantially coextensive in length with said outer wallsand disposed intermediate the bottom of the latter and said pivot means.

14. The structure set forth in claim 7 and further comprising a cuttingblade extending between and rigidly secured to said outer walls at theforward bottom portion of said bowl and wherein the lateral width ofsaid apron is substantially the lateral distance between said outerwalls.

5 6 15. The structure set forth in claim 14 wherein said legs verticallyabove said frame members and connected recesses are disposedsubstantially in the upper rear quarby said pivot means to said wallstructures, respectively. ter of said side wall structures,respectively.

16. The structure set forth in claim 15 wherein said References Citedactuators are extensible and contractible hydraulic jacks 5 UNITEDSTATES PATENTS longitudinally aligned with said apron arms,respectively.

17. The structure set forth in claim 16 wherein elon- 2,301,516 11/ 9 BBI 37124 gated frame members are rigidly secured to and extend 3,064,37111/ 9 f r 37-126 substantially the length of the laterally outer sidesof said 3,092,919 6/1963 Reynolds et outer Walls, respectively, saidframe members being verti- 10 cally spaced intermediate said pivot meansand above said AB STONE, Primary Examinerblade.

18. The structure set forth in claim 17 and further ANTONIO f Examine?comprising a draft frame with longitudinally extending KOPECKI,Assistant Exammer-

1. AN EARTHMOVER COMPRISING: A WHEELED SCRAPER BOWL HAVING A PAIR OFSIDE WALL STRUCTURES EACH INCLUDING A VERTICAL OUTER WALL EXTENDINGFORWARDLY TO THE APPROXIMATE FORWARD EXTREMITY OF ITS RELATED SIDE WALLSTRUCTURE AND AN INNER WALL CONNECTED TO SAID OUTER WALL TO FORM ANOUTWARDLY FACING RECESS THEREIN AND A LONGITUDINALLY ORIENTED OPENING ATTHE FORWARD END OF SAID RECESS, SAID INNER WALL HAVING ITS FORWARDTERMINUS APPROXIMATELY AT THE FORWARD END OF SAID RECESS, AN APRON ATTHE FRONT OF SAID BOWL HAVING A PAIR OF LATERALLY SPACED ARMS EXTENDINGREARWARDLY ADJACENT THE INNER SIDE OF SAID VERTICAL OUTER WALLS,RESPECTIVELY, AND THROUGH SAID OPENINGS, RESPECTIVELY, A PAIR OF PIVOTMEANS AT SAID OPENINGS PIVOTALLY CONNECTING SAID ARMS TO SAID SIDE WALLSTRUCTURES, RESPECTIVELY, FOR SWINGING MOVEMENT ABOUT A TRANSVERSE PIVOTAXIS BETWEEN OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS, EACH OF SAID PIVOT MEANSINCLUDING A PIVOT MEMBER SUPPORTED BY SAID INNER AND OUTER WALLS OF THEASSOCIATED SIDE WALL STRUCTURE, AND A PAIR OF HYDRAULIC ACTUATORSDISPOSED WITHIN SAID RECESSES, RESPECTIVELY, AND HAVING CORRESPONDINGENDS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED, RESPECTIVELY, TO SAID SIDE WALL STRUCTURES ANDSAID APRON ARMS AT POINTS ON THE LATTER SPACED FROM SAID TRANSVERSEPIVOT AXIS.